Fallen officer Brad Fox honored by Pa. House (video)

HARRISBURG — New Hanover resident and Plymouth Township Police Officer Brad Fox was honored with a special resolution by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Monday morning.

House Resolution 276, authored by state Rep. Marcy Toepel, R-Montgomery, recognized Fox’s public service and time in the military. Fox was killed in the line of duty while chasing a suspect on Sept. 13, 2012. He would have been 35 years old. He was a staff sergeant with the U.S. Marine Corps for 10 years and served overseas in Iraq in 2003 and in 2005-2006.

“The Brad Fox Law” was signed into law in 2012, and increases penalties against those who buy guns to resell to criminals or those forbidden to possess firearms.

Fox’s wife, Lynsay, his parents Tom and Kathy Fox, his father-in-law Mark Matozzi, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, Plymouth Township Police Chief Joseph Lawrence and township council President Sheldon Simpson and council member Dean Eisenberger, as well as officers from the Plymouth Township Police Department attended Monday’s ceremony.

“Officer Fox’s legacy will live on through the memories of his loved ones, the lives of his two beloved children, his many accomplishments in hhis service to his country and also in the law books,” said Toepel.

Fox was one of five law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2012 who were honored by the Pa. House Monday as part of the 20th annual Fraternal Order of Police Pennsylvania State Lodge annual memorial service at the forum auditorium in the Capitol complex in Harrisburg. House Resolution 1778, sponsored by Rep. Mike Vereb, R-Montgomery, recognized the officers. In addition to Fox, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper First Class Blake T. Coble, Philadelphia Police officers Moses Walker Jr. and Brian Lorenzo, and Chester Police officer Avery Freeman were recognized.

Family members of the five fallen officers were presented with medals to honor the sacrifice of their loved ones.

“Our cherished freedoms and liberties would not exist without the sweat and blood of some 800,000 professionals whose simple motto is: ‘To protect and to serve,’” said Toepel.